KNOXVILLE—Hazam Ali Ahmed, 36, of Knoxville, Tennessee, pled guilty today in United States District Court, Knoxville, Tennessee, to three counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1). These charges were included in an indictment returned against Ahmed by a federal grand jury on November 17, 2009. Ahmed faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years supervised release for each of these counts.

Additionally, Ahmed pled guilty today to a 16-count information charging him with two counts of conspiracy to transport, possess and distribute contraband cigarettes; six counts of knowingly receiving, transporting, possessing, and distributing contraband cigarettes; three counts of knowingly receiving, possessing, and selling counterfeited tax stamps, which are part of interstate commerce; two counts of knowingly transporting in interstate commerce stolen goods valued at $5000 or more; and three counts of money laundering by conducting a financial transaction involving proceeds of a specified unlawful activity. Maximum penalties for these crimes are outlined in the below table.

The guilty plea by Ahmed today was the result of a long-term undercover investigation by the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force.

Sentencing has been set for September 2, 2010, in United States District Court, Knoxville, Tennessee.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeff Theodore and Will Mackie represented the United States.

Maximum punishment for each of these counts is ten years in prison, a fine of $250,000, three years supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment of $100.

Information Counts 1-2: Conspiracy to receive, transport, possess and distribute contraband cigarettes as that term is defined in 18 U.S.C. § 2341, which bore no evidence of the payment of applicable state cigarette taxes 18, USC §§371 and 2342(a).

Maximum punishment for each counts is five years in prison, a fine of $250,000, three years supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment of $100.